The Gravity Thread Rifle fires a beam of concentrated gravity at its target. The gravitational field is so strong, light cannot escape it, much like a black hole (albeit on a weaker scale). Because of the beam's dark appearance, the rifle is also called a "Black Laser." Anything struck by the gravity thread will fold in upon itself as it's crushed under the unimaginable gravitational forces at work. This crushing force will do 7d6 hit points of damage to anything compressed in this manner. If something is taken to 0 hit points with a Black Laser, the object (or person) will be compressed to such a minuscule state, all traces of their physical form will be "crushed" out of existence.

Sunday, July 28, 2013

The PCs arrive at a small outpost on the edge of The Badlands to refresh and re-equip themselves only to find the facility razed and utterly devastated. Bodies of the outpost's inhabitants are strewn about, and there's not a single structure left standing, as if every building were somehow crushed or pushed over. Much of the outpost's supplies and weaponry are missing, as if bandits or marauders attacked and looted the fort, but no outlaws have this kind of destructive power -- or do they?

With enough searching, the PCs will find one badly injured mutant trapped under some rubble, a mutant rat named Bracall. "It was a giant snake that crashed through the walls and destroyed the buildings!" he says between gasps of air. "Huge, like 20 feet tall and four times as long! The giant snake and its army overran the outpost, killing everyone, and taking everything. I stayed hidden 'cause snakes eat rats!"

Bracall says that the attack occurred 4 hours ago. With prompting, he describes the "giant snake" as covered in green metal armor and "floating" a few feet from the ground. It battered the buildings down with its bulk while its army -- snake-men with arms, legs, and barbed tails -- gathered up the outpost's supplies and killed any survivors they encountered. Bracall remembers that the giant snake then "swallowed" the snake-men and supplies, then turned west and floated away over the craggy badland terrain. He says that the snake-men live out west in the badlands, and this must have been done to gather supplies and weapons for an even larger attack.

"If they get those weapons back to their tribe, they'll destroy every other outpost out here. They could even go further east and destroy villages and towns if they have that...thing at their command!"

Bracall begs the party to stop the giant snake and its army by any means necessary before they can deliver their stolen goods. To help catch up to them, Bracall reveals a badly damaged -- but functional -- hovertruck that can carry the party and their gear. Due to the damage sustained, the hovertruck's top speed is only 120 MPH and it has 20 hit points before it's destroyed. (If the Mutant Lord feels generous, you can also supply the PCs with some spare energy grenades that were left behind by the snake-men.)

It takes only 2 hours for the party to catch up to the "giant snake" as it's moving at half its movement rate due to the rough terrain. It's just as Bracall described it -- a giant, green-armored, 80-foot-long snake. However, the PCs can see that the snake is clearly some kind of Bygone mechanical vehicle. Stenciled on the side (if anyone can read Bygone languages) are the letters "ERTH." Once they get closer, they can see that the abbreviation stands for "Exploratory Rough Terrain Hovercraft" which is written underneath. The vehicle looks like a long locomotive-like conveyance with several segmented "cars" joined together. (Stats for the ERTH appear at the end of this adventure.) Thick transparent plexisteel windows lines the sides, and the PCs can see the snake-men inside the vehicle.

The snake-men are Serpentoids (MF rules, page 94) who were actually worshiping the inactive ERTH as a graven image of their snake-god for generations. The current high priest managed to find his way inside the vehicle and activate it. He and the tribe saw this as a sign from their snake-god to go forth and attack all non-Serpentoids who are encroaching on their lands. The attack on the outpost was the first step. Once they arm the camp, they'll climb inside the ERTH and lay waste to any outposts, camps, villages, and small towns they encounter. The ERTH now holds 12 Serpentoids who are scattered throughout the various cars and compartments. The high priest is at the controls at the front of the ERTH.

How the PCs board the ERTH or stop it is left to the Mutant Lord to play out. The ERTH is heavily armored and can take a lot of damage before it's disabled. The primary doorway in and out lays at the back end of the vehicle, which opens up into a massive storage area at the rear. The PCs can try to attack the rear hatch in hopes of blowing it open for access (the door will take 50 HP before falling off) or the Serpentoids -- alerted to the presence of the PCs -- may open the rear hatch and begin firing at the party. There is another hatchway on top of the ERTH if anyone can get on top of it, and it will only take 15 hp of damage before popping open.

If the PCs storm the ERTH, there should be a running firefight from car to car as the Serpentoids fight to stop the breech as well as protect the driver up front. They will use whatever weapons they scavenged from the outpost (Mutant Lord's choice) as well as their toxic weapon bite which deals a class 6 radiation toxin. And as the fight goes on, the ERTH gets closer and closer to 100's of Serpentoids waiting for the arrival of their snake-god's bounty.

If the party appears that they are going to win the fight, the high priest driver will steer the ERTH away from the Serpentoid tribal area before activating the self-destruct mechanism built into the military vehicle. (He'd rather see the ERTH destroyed than fall into the hands of The Unclean.) Once activated, the ERTH will explode in 2 minutes, doing 10d10 hit points of damage to anyone still inside, 5d10 to anyone within 50 feet, and 2d10 to anyone between 51 to 100 feet away.

If the party manages to kill or drive off all of the Serpentoids and keep the ERTH from exploding, they will have both a monstrous stockpile of weapons and a powerful vehicle on-hand. (The Mutant Lord may want to carefully consider this campaign-changing shift before "handing them the keys," so to speak.) The supplies taken from the outpost will be found in one of the ERTH's cargo cars. Rather than listing an entire outpost's armory and stockpile, the Mutant Lord should feel free to place as many or as few items as would fit the current campaign. If the party could use some new weapons or items, have those devices available. If the party is well-armed, have the cargo consist of foodstuffs, medical supplies, and random devices. It is left to the Mutant Lord as to how much power he wishes to put into the hands of the PCs.

Jungle Castle Rock Apocalypse is a system-generic post-apocalypse RPG setting (although stats are geared for OD&D-based games -cough-Mutant Future-cough). This 16-page booklet is described by the author as "more like Ralph Bakshi’s Wizards than Mad Max." The content is a eclectic with tables, charts, maps, creatures, NPCs, locations, and a scenario or two. When the one-page dungeon adventure in the back is titled “Clown Robot Doctor Apocalypse," you KNOW you're in for a treat! The PDF is $2.50 and the print/PDF bundle is only $5.00 at MagCloud.

Wisdom From the Wastelands Issue 30 is “Nanotechnology II” and described as follows: "Nanotechnology has existed since the late 20th century. At first, the tiny machines were used mostly in medicine and genetic manipulation, but technological advances brought wider application. Many of these breakthroughs helped make the Ancients’ lives easier, but others became microscopic dogs of war, let slip to wreak havoc and destruction. This issue features a host of tiny tools and toys you can use to spice your Mutant Future games." This newest issue of the long-running Mutant Future supplement is 99 cents and is available at Drive Through RPG.

Friday, July 26, 2013

Here's a puzzle for you. Your band of merry mutants have been scavenging the ruins of a Bygone laboratory complex. You're collected quite a few technological artifacts and can't wait to see what they fetch at Barter John's. You turn a corner and see a single door at the end of the hallway. Stenciled on the door is this emblem:

What do you do? Open the door and investigate? Walk away and hope your caution is merited? Does the sign warn of danger? Of more tech miracles waiting to be discovered?

Nik May shared a set of Warning Signs from the Future in a Google Plus entry earlier this week, and the images have really set my imagination running. The typical warning signs -- radiation hazard, lazers in use, biohazard, flammable, etc. -- are fairly well known and won't give your players a moment of pause if they encounter them in a dangerous situation. But will they recognize the warning sign for "Cold Fusion"? "Memory Hazard"? "Reality Manipulation Device"? "Unstable Wormhole"? Rather than just explaining the hazards within that unexplored room or that mysterious box, slap a few placards on it and let them decide if the risk is worth it. Here's a preview (but you should click the link above for a bigger, better version):

Oh and if you opened the door marked with the earlier placard? You and your party were just sucked into the "Contained Black Hole."

Thursday, July 25, 2013

An ill-advised combination of light-weight scooter and heavy artillery, the Vespartillery is the ideal vehicle for the mutant on the go who also likes to pack a punch. The scooter can only carry two passengers at a time, and its maximum speed is 80 MPH. It is not a hardy machine, as it can only take 15 hit points of damage before it's utterly destroyed.

The Vespartillery is equipped with 6 side-mounted micro-missile launchers (3 on each side). Weapons can be fired from triggering assembly built into the handlebars. Each micro-missile has a range of 1,500 feet and will do 7d6 hit points of damage to anything in a 30-foot radius of impact. However, the vehicle is so light that firing a micro-missile will decrease the vehicle's speed by 20 MPH if it's in motion. And firing the missiles if the vehicle is at a standstill has a 15% chance of causing it to dump over onto its side -- unable to fire again until it's brought upright.

The truly fearsome weaponry on the Vespartillery is the front-mounted cannon barrel that juts out three feet from the front of the scooter. The cannon can only fire one shot with a 3,000-foot range. The shell will do a staggering 10d10 hit points of damage. However, firing the cannon while the vehicle is in motion will cause the handlebars to wrench out of the driver's hands, causing it to then spin wildly out of control and crashing horribly. The only safe way to fire the cannon is if the vehicle is stopped and held securely, and even then it has a 30% chance of falling over due to the concussive force of firing the massive gun.

Sunday, July 21, 2013

This encounter takes place very close to a coastal region, preferably an ocean or sea. The party will hear the sound of an emergency klaxon horn sounding in the distance. Every 60 seconds, there will be a series of 3 short air horn blasts (ERHNT-ERHNT-ERHNT) as if something is sending out a warning, signaling imminent danger.

If they investigate the siren, they'll find themselves on a high bluff, looking down at an ancient Bygone sailing craft that seems to have run aground in the shallow water. By the looks of the gaping holes on the side of the ship and the rust and decay on every surface, it has been shipwrecked here since long before the days of the Apocalygeddon. But the siren -- mounted on the upper-most mast -- is still sounding off every minute, alerting all within hearing range. (The Mutant Lord should roll for random wandering monsters every other turn (1 in 6) as long as the siren is going off. Use the Monster Encounter Table-Sea on page 105 if an encounter is merited.)

From their current vantage point, the party will see that the siren has already attracted 12 Lobstrosities (MF rules, pg. 81) that are currently circling the shipwrecked hulk. The giant crustaceans are constantly slamming into the side of the ship, as if eager to get to the sound of the noise. If the party decides to attack the Lobstrosities head-on, the ML should keep in mind the bite of the creature inflicts a class 6 poison that causes high fever, weakness, and hallucinations for 8 hours.

The most obvious entrance is through the massive hole in the hull of the ship (which is too high for the Lobstrosities to reach). Flying mutants can glide down and alight on the deck of the ship if they desire. However, those mutants landing on the deck of the ship will expose themselves directly to the ear-piercing peals of the siren. Anyone approaching from this direction will suffer 1d4 hit points of sonic damage and be deafened for 1d6+4 rounds as if exposed to a sonic-based attack.

Once the party members are on board, they'll discover the reason for the siren and the circling Lobstrosities. Six Barracudamen (treat as Fishmen, MF rules, pg. 72) have been exploring the shipwreck that they happened upon earlier in the day. While rummaging around in the wheelhouse, they accidentally reactivated the warning klaxon that sounded the day the ship first ran aground. Because the Barracudamen are earless thus deaf, they were unaware of the noise they were creating as well as being immune to the horn's sound attack.

Each Barracudaman can bite for 3d6 hit points of damage, and each is armed with a serrated dagger that does 1d6 hit points of damage. Three of them are also armed with Gauss pistols that do 2d6 hit points of damage.

The Barracudamen are currently investigating the crates in the cargo hold, and they have already amassed a sizable collection of Bygone treasure. The items they've uncovered sits in a big pile in the center of the cargo hold: a suit of plastic plate armor (AC 4), 3 rolls of ion bonding tape, a radiation rifle (6 shots left), an advanced breathing apparatus (2 hours of air remaining), and a K-O shot. They also scavenged the skeletal bodies of the crew and recovered 820 silver pieces (as well as the three Gauss pistols mentioned earlier).

The Barracudamen are incredibly excited about the valuables and artifacts they've happened upon. Bringing all of this back to their underwater city will set them up as kings in the eyes of their people. Because of this, they will fight any interlopers who try to steal their treasure to the death.

Friday, July 19, 2013

Issue 29 is “Mutualists I” and is described as follows: "To mangle a paraphrase from John Donne, 'No mutant is an island — unless your mutant is an island.' And even then it probably does not live entirely alone. Whether you are part of a community or a party of adventurers, Ancient philosophers from the Liver Pool had it right: everyone gets by with a little help from their friends. When two or more different species help each other, the cooperation is called mutualism. The coexistence may be symbiotic, where one creature lives on (or in) the other, like human gut flora; or it may be less intimate, like bees simultaneously feeding from flowers and pollinating them. In some cases, one species domesticates the other, like humans and dogs (or vice versa), while others just adapt their behavior to one another, like some large mammals standing lookout for each other at watering holes. The creatures in this issue illustrate varying degrees of this cooperative behavior, whether living in constant and necessary proximity, or just trailing along, one behind the other, hoping to snag a snack. They are listed as pairs or groups, making it easier to find creatures that operate together."

The Klondike B'ar is a mutated polar bear that is found in mountainous regions, but not necessarily in arctic or sub-zero temperatures. They can live quite comfortably in cooler climates (yearly average of 50 degrees maximum). Klondike B'ars walk upright as a humanoid would, and their front paws have mutated into human-like hands. Despite its humanoid appearance, a Klondike B'ar only has an animal intelligence and instinct. Klondike B'ars are huge due to their gigantism mutation, standing between 9 and 12 feet tall. They also have enhanced strength, giving them a crushing bonus in combat.

The Klondike B'ar attacks by clubbing a defender with its two powerful forearms, which it uses to bludgeon its victim. The Klondike B'ar does 5d6 hit points of damage when it clubs a victim with these devastating blows. It will additionally bite with its powerful jaws for 2d8 hit points of damage. The B'ar's mouth can also spew a cone of frost that is close to absolute zero. This frosty energy ray does 4d6 hit points of cold damage to anyone within 50 feet who fails a save versus energy attacks.

One insidious attack the Klondike B'ar has is the use of its possession mutation. During an attack, the B'ar will identify the biggest threat or strongest warrior. It will suddenly grow still as its eyes roll into its head. If the B'ar makes a successful mental attack, it will suddenly find itself in the body of that targeted individual. The attackers may be surprised to find one of their own party members shooting at them from behind! Or perhaps the possessed individual will take out a grenade and pull the pin, just before the Klondike B'ar "jumps back" into its own body. When sitting around the campfire late at night, mutants often discuss the creature's ability to manipulate minds by rhetorically asking each other, "So, what would you do for a Klondike B'ar?"

Friday, July 12, 2013

NOTE: I created the original Apocalyptic Stormfront Mega-tablemore than 3 years ago. Over that time, it has served me well. But I never knew something was missing...until last night. Last night's premiere of Sharknado revealed the missing piece of the puzzle. I HAD to update this classic table to include this ever-so-frightening weather phenomenon. (See Entry 99-00.)During
the final days of the End of the World, the catastrophic explosions
that destroyed the lands ejected a host of materials into the
atmosphere. Over time, these orbiting materials have combined with each
other and with the clouds to create a number of unusual stormfronts that
may be encountered in the Mutant Future. If the Mutant Lord wants to
give the players a bit of an environmental challenge, they should roll
1d100 and refer to the following chart:

1-2. Abrasion Storm
– Coarse sand and grit are carried on gale-force winds, acting as
airborne sandpaper. Clothing will be shredded, paint removed from
vehicles and buildings, and armor could be eroded down an armor class
level. Blindness could occur in unprotected eyes. Minor injuries (1d4
hit points) are possible.

3-4. Acid Storm –
Pollution and ash have mixed with the moisture in the clouds to create a
corrosive liquid that rains upon the lands. Roll 1d6 for acidity level
with 1 = slight irritant (lemon juice) to 6 = dangerously corrosive
(battery acid).

5-6. Amnesia Storm – Unexplained
shifts in the planet’s magnetic fields create a memory-wiping effect on
intelligent creatures. PCs and NPCs may not remember who they are, what
they are, or what they can do. This effect may or may not affect
artificial intelligence (i.e., robots, androids, and the like). The
amnesia wears off after the storm passes.

7-8. Antigrav Storm
– The gravitational field in the area drops to one-fourth of its normal
level. Everything weighs one-fourth of its current weight. PCs can leap
four times farther and higher than normal. Travel is faster since
everything is lighter. (But watch out when the gravity returns!)

9-10. Ash Storm
– Volcanic ash and cinders that have drifted in the atmosphere for
years finally begins to fall, covering the area with dirty soot to a
depth of 1d4 inches. It’s comparatively harmless, though it may play
havoc with fragile technology.

11-12. Blood Storm
– Microscopic rusting iron particles have combined with the moisture in
the air to create a thick red rain that smells of iron.
Exposed/untreated metal items exposed to a blood storm will rust at an
accelerated rate.

13-14. Bone Storm – During the
Ancient Wars, a major population center was bombed into oblivion. Those
victims who weren’t vaporized had their skeletal remains thrown into
the lower atmosphere. Eventually, those bits and pieces will come
falling down. More disturbing than dangerous.

15-16. Boulder Storm
– Large rocks ranging from 1 to 10 feet across start crashing down
throughout the area, dealing 1d6 to 10d6 hit points of damage depending
on size) if they strike. This may initially be mistaken for a series of
meteorites, but it’s actually the remnants of a long-ago-blasted
mountain chain.

17-18. Chill Storm – A driving
rainstorm where the water is just above the point of freezing is
encountered. Exposure to a chill storm will deal 1d4 hit points of
damage per round to plant-based characters and may give other mutants a
bad cold/flu.

19-20. Concrete Storm – The
miscellaneous gritty mineral flotsam in the atmosphere combines with
water to create actual concrete. This pasty material will begin
splattering down, covering everything. If allowed to harden, it will be
as hard as stone. Huts could collapse under the weight. Villagers could
find themselves sealed in and trapped within their shelters.

21-22. Critter Storm
– A small tornado or waterspout picks up creatures from one area and
drops them elsewhere when the funnel cloud dissipates. A large quantity
of frogs, locusts, fish, or other small animals will begin falling upon
the PCs. It could be interesting for the PCs if scorpions, poisonous
spiders, or rot grubs began to fall on them.

23-24. Dark Storm
– A massive cloud of ash and debris blocks out all natural light,
throwing the area into absolute darkness. No sunlight, moonlight, or
starlight will be visible. Nocturnal and light-sensitive creatures will
come out to hunt. Due to the size of the cloud (from horizon to
horizon), the darkness could last for weeks.

25-26. Dead Storm
– Bizarre radiation waves cause the dead to reanimate. After a strange
red glow of light blankets the area, the PCs will encounter 3d10 of the
Walking Dead clawing their way out of the ground. (See MF rulebook, page
101.) Treat as a one-time encounter rather than an on-going stormfront.

27-28. Deafness Storm
– Changes in air pressure cause sound waves to increase in frequency
and pitch, rendering them undetectable by those with “normal” hearing.
However, those with special hearing (i.e., many animals or mutants with
increased hearing) will be able to hear normally. All others will be
effectively deaf until the storm passes.

29-30. Deluge Storm
– Huge raindrops begin to fall, as if the area was being pelted with
water balloons. Because an incredible amount of water is falling in a
short period of time, dangerous flash flooding and river swells are
assured. PCs could be swept away by a sudden wave of water appearing out
of nowhere.

31-32. Disease Storm – Biological
warfare agents have mixed with the natural rainwater creating a
virus-laden “soup” that coats everything. Characters who exposed for a
lengthy period have a 65% chance of contracting the Superflu. (See MF
rulebook, page 48.)

33-34. Fire Storm – Bits of
phosphorus debris have somehow remained inactive and dormant until they
start falling onto the area, flaring up at more than 250 degrees and
burning through anything they land on. PCs will take 2d6 hit points of
damage per round of exposure.

35-36. Funnel Storm
– A series of tornadoes sweeps through the area, destroying buildings,
uprooting trees, and hurling massive items through the air. PCs caught
in the open may be crushed by debris or, worse, whisked a half-mile up
into the air, then dropped.

37-38. Fusion Storm –
Named for the effect it has on biological tissue, a fusion storm fuses
two creatures into one being. When this storm passes through, any
creatures in contact with each other will find themselves melded and
fused together. For example, a man on a horse warps into a centaur-like
creature, or two humans warp into a two-headed, four armed mutant. Allow
PCs to save versus energy attacks to avoid this fate.

39-40. Glue Storm
– Chemicals in the atmosphere have combined into a thick mucilage. When
it rains down, this sticky green goo will act as a powerful adhesive.
If allowed to dry, this glue will bond almost any two surfaces. (It does
not bond to glass, oddly enough.) Acid or fire will dissolve the glue’s
bond. When bottled, it may fetch a good price with a trader.

41-42. Hook Storm
– A violent windstorm with barbed bits of metal and wire whips through
the region, ripping and shredding through anything softer than AC7.
Exposed characters will suffer 1d4 per round of exposure, plus they may
need to see a medic to have any remaining barbed materials removed from
their skin and flesh.

43-44. Infrared Storm –
Sunlight refraction through airborne materials causes the infrared light
spectrum to become visible. Everything with any degree of warmth has a
reddish-orange glow to it. This effect is barely noticeable during the
day. But at night, treat everyone as having the mutation of thermal
vision.

45-46. Junk Storm – The remnants of a
research satellite or orbiting science platform begins crashing to the
surface. Once the hazard of falling refuse has ended, allow the PCs the
chance to scavenge the debris field. (45% chance of finding 1d4 working
gizmos, MF rulebook, page 109).

47-48. Light Storm
– A massive cloud of light-reflecting chaff unnaturally bends sunlight
so that it’s as bright as noon on a 24-hour cycle even when the sun’s on
the other side of the planet. Creatures with light sensitivity will be
in agony as the brightness runs around the clock. Due to the size of the
cloud (from horizon to horizon), the light could last for weeks.

49-50. Lightning Storm
– No precipitation, but bolts of lightning strike the area regularly
during the storm. The chance of a PC being struck is only 5% (10% if a
robotic character or in metallic armor). Being hit by lightning will do
4d10 hit points of damage (save versus energy attack for half damage).

51-52. Magnetic Storm
– Somehow, the clouds are emitting a low-level electromagnetic pulse.
During the storm, any Ancient electronic technology will malfunction
and/or be inactive. Robotic PCs will deactivate but will not suffer
damage. Once the storm passes, all tech works as normal.

55-56. Mind Storm
– A strange wave of mental energy descends on the area granting all
intelligent creatures within the storm the mental mutation of
metaconcert. All creatures are mentally linked, thoughts are shared, and
secrets are laid bare. Fortunately the storm only lasts for 1d4 hours
at most.

57-58. Mold Storm – Mold spores coat
everything in a blanket of grey dust. Within hours, this mold will have
rooted and grown to the point where everything appears covered in grey
fuzz. Foods will be spoiled, and plant-based creatures will suffer 1d4
per turn unless treated with a fungicide. There is a 10% chance that the
mold storm will drop yellow mold spores. (See MF rulebook, page 103.)

59-60. Mutie Storm
– A blast of energy explodes overhead, changing and warping the DNA
structure of all exposed mutants. Have PCs completely reroll their
mutations (See MF rulebook, page 21). A mutie storm has no effect on
Pure Humans or characters without mutations.

63-64. Oil Storm
– A viscous, petroleum-based liquid covers everything in a thin,
slippery coating. This oil makes everything hard to hold onto, and
surfaces are treacherous to walk on. Land vehicles are impossible to
drive without careening into obstacles. Have PCs constantly roll DEX
checks to keep from slipping and falling.

65-66. Parasite Storm
– Although this appears to be a standard rainfall, the water contains
millions of deadly, dangerous living organisms. These parasites will
invade a host organism where they will begin to feed and grow. It is
left to the Mutant Lord as to the nature of the parasites, the effect
they have on PCs, and the way to deal with and/or cure them.

67-68. Pheromone Storm
– Naturally occurring pheromones are carried in on the winds, playing
havoc with the emotions and sex drives of those exposed. Depending on
sexual preferences, intelligent creatures will find each other
undeniably attractive. Long-time enemies may hook up and/or find one
another completely trustworthy. (Steer clear of the clichéd “Everybody
humps each other” scenario.) The effect wears off within 24-48 hours.

69-70. Poison Storm
– The toxins that fall are poisonous to all living creatures. Mutant
Lords should roll on the Poison Class Table (see MF rulebook, page 50)
to determine the kind and level of the poison and its lethality.

71-72. Razor Storm
– Metallic and glass shards in orbit from satellites and missiles
destroyed long ago starts to rain down. These razor-sharp pieces will
slice like a knife through anything exposed. Fortunately, they will not
penetrate anything over AC6, but anything less will be cut to ribbons
(1d6 hit points of damage per round of exposure).

73-74. Shatter Storm –
A wave of pure sonic force explodes overhead. This concussive blast
causes anything brittle to shatter into fragments. Fragile technology
could be rendered useless. Small animals could be injured, and plants
could be harmed. PCs should roll a save versus stun attacks or become
stunned for 2d10 turns due to the sudden blast of force.

75-76. Sleep Storm
– A cloud of anesthetic gas washes over everything. All air-breathing
creatures will be rendered unconscious. Any PC exposed to the gas should
save versus CON or drop into a deep sleep for 3d10 turns.

77-78. Slime Storm
– This thick gooey material splatters down, coating the area in a slimy
mess. This is actually a harmless slime mold – disgusting and
worrisome, but harmless. However, there is a 5% chance that the slime
storm is actually dropping small green slime creatures. (See MF
rulebook, page 74.)

79-80. Smoke Storm – A
suffocatingly dense cloud of black smoke moves through the area.
Breathing is difficult while in the acrid smoke, but it’s not dangerous
(unless the Mutant Lord wishes it to be). Eyes and lungs will burn.
Sight is cut to a distance of 3-5 feet at best and visual mutations like
thermal vision are rendered useless.

81-82. Smother Storm
– The barometric pressure wildly fluxuates, increasing to a crushing
level. Until the storm passes, breathing is labored as everyone feels
the weight of the air compressing upon them. Physical effort is
difficult at best. Characters may find themselves temporarily deaf.
Flight is impossible for airborne creatures.

83-84. Sonic Storm
– An ear-piercing shriek of sound splits the air. Those with uncovered
or unprotected ears will suffer 1d4 hit points of damage due to the
agonizing pain due to the noise. Any creatures who possess echolocation
or other sonic/hearing based mutations will suffer an additional 1d4
points of damage per round until they take cover.

85-86. Splinter Storm
– Similar to a hook storm, a violent windstorm with wooden splinters
and shards whips through the region. These toothpick-sized wooden barbs
will puncture exposed skin for 1d2 points of damage. Characters should
be able to remove any remaining splinters from their skin by themselves.

87-88. Spore/Germination Storm
– A super-fertilized rain sweeps down, watering all of the plantlife
with a strange quick-grow formula. All plants in the area will double
and triple in size within an hour. Vines entangle everything; trees grow
to monstrous heights; and grass and weeds grow to several feet.
Plant-based PCs be allowed to roll for one new plant-based mutation.
(See MF rulebook, page 22.)

89-90. Static Storm –
A low-level static electric charge fills the air. Hair stands on end
and teeth are set on edge. Contact with ungrounded objects will cause a
painful static discharge to occur. Items may cling to one another.
Computers and sensitive electronic equipment won’t work and may become
damaged.

91-92. Steam Storm – Similar to a chill
storm, this is a driving rainstorm where the water is just below the
point of boiling. A thick hot fog covers the area, making it almost
tropical in nature. Plant-based characters will actually thrive in this
weather (have them heal twice as fast) but other mutants will find the
moisture and heat unbearable.

93-94. Stench Storm
– A wave of the most foul, fetid, retched odor imaginable washed
through the region. One whiff of this disgusting aroma will cause
uncontrollable retching in anyone who smells it. PCs should have to save
versus death (yes, death) to keep their cookies down. Failure means
they throw up uncontrollably for 2d10 rounds.

95-96. Thunder Storm
– Huge crashes of thunder rumble through the area while threatening
black clouds gather overhead. No rain, wind, or lightning is encountered
– just ominous thunder echoing everywhere. And that’s it. Just a lot of
noise. Nothing to fear. Really.

97-98. Vertigo Storm
– A sudden shift in the planet’s magnetic field plays havoc with the
sense of balance of all intelligent creatures. Everyone should feel as
if they were drunk while wearing the wrong eyeglasses. A creature’s
innate sense of perspectives is thrown out of kilter, and the world
seems to spin. PCs should have to save versus DEX to do anything more
complex than standing up.

99-100.SHARKNADO
– An oceanic waterspout has scooped up dozens of man-eating sharks, which are now being hurled through the atmosphere. As the storm passes, these eating machines are dropped from the sky onto the area. They can be encountered in lakes, ponds, streams, flooded streets, anyplace where there's an abundance of water. Also, the sharks could pop out of Bygone sewer systems, swimming pools, or they could even just fall upon its prey from above. PCs will encounter 1d6 sharks during the storm before the threat passes. Shark (AL N, MV 180' (60'), AC 4, HD 8, #AT 1 (bite), DM 1d6/2d6, SV L4, ML 7, mutations: none)

In the damp, dark corners of the Mutant Future grows an insidious fungus that can reanimate the dead. These reanimated corpses ("Shroombies") are pale, bloated, damp, and covered with mushrooms, toadstools, and other molds. Disturbingly, the various fungus seem to be sprouting from the creature's eye sockets, ear canals, mouths, and other orifices. Shroombies are eerily silent, not even moaning and groaning like the typical Walking Dead (MF rulebook, page 101). Instead they communicate with each other through a spore-derived metaconcert ability.

Shroombies are fairly slow and weak. They also require cool damp places to thrive, so they will take double damage from heat and fire attacks. Shroombies ignore damage from cold attacks though. They attack with a clawed hand for 1d6 hit points of damage and bite for 2d6. However, the Shroombie could use its poisonous spore attack instead. On a successful hit, the Shroombie opens its mouth and a greenish-grey cloud of spores sprays into the face of the victim. If a save versus poison is failed, the victim will suffer from wild hallucinations as the spores take root in the sinuses and mucus membranes. The spores' effect is twofold. First, the victim will ignore any Shroombies in the area as the spores force the victim to ignore other spore hosts. Second, the victim will see any non-Shroombies (i.e., the rest of the party) as horrific monsters and mutants from their wildest nightmares. The victim will then fight these "monsters" to the best of their ability for 2d4 rounds before the spores' effect wears off.

If the spores take root in a dead body, a new Shroombie will rise in 3 days as the animating fungus takes hold, growing throughout the body and replacing the brain and nervous system with a mold-based substitute.

Wednesday, July 10, 2013

NOTE: This amazing creature was originally posted by Mark Chance to the Swords & Wizardry G+ Discussion board. It was too awesome to not share. Below, I made some slight tweaks for Mutant Future compatibility, but otherwise it's unchanged. (Brutorz Bill? I expect to see this shared on an upcoming Simian Saturday!)

Half
gorilla, half elephant, the mighty gorillelephantaurs rule the tropical
plains they call home. is an intelligent, carnivorous gorilla. They
fight with their columnar forelegs and powerful claws, or else use a
weapon instead of their claws. If a gorillelephantaur strikes a foe with
both claws, it does an additional 1d12 points of rending damage.

A Clotted One (also insultingly referred to as a "Scab") is a mutated human who appears to be covered from head to toe in a leathery, glistening hide. This "hide" is actually made of the Clotted One's own coagulated blood. Due to its hypercoagulation mutation, the creature's thick, syrupy blood hardens into a tough, copper-red crust upon contact with the air. This scab-like skin surface (which never sloughs off) gives the Clotted One its natural armor protection.

Since the Clotted One's blood clots so quickly upon being wounded, the creature's healing metabolism is constantly working, allowing the injured "Scab" to heal an extra 10 hit points a day. (A Clotted One cannot regrow limbs in this manner though.) However, due to the thickness of the creature's blood, its metabolic processes are drastically slowed as its heart works to pump the viscous fluid through its veins. Clotted Ones move very slowly, and they always attack last in a combat round. The nerves near and on the surface of their skin has been deadened over the years, so they are also often unaware of when they've been hurt or wounded. (Although any injuries are immediately scabbed over as their healing metabolism takes over.)

A Clotted One's touch can spread its hypercoagulation mutation to pure humans, causing the newly mutated victim to gain the abilities, drawbacks, and appearance of a Clotted One. If successfully grasped by a Clotted One, the pure human is allowed a save versus poison to escape this fate. (Mutant humans, plants, animals, and androids cannot acquire the mutation.) A "Scab's" blood can heal 1d8 hit points of damage if gathered quickly from a fallen Clotted One, rubbed on a PC's wound, and allowed to crust over. However, since the creature's blood dries so quickly upon contact with air, there's no known way to "harvest" and store the creature's blood for any prolonged period of time.

Not much is known about Clotted One society as they avoid contact with outsiders (who view them as monsters anyway). Those who do venture into a Clotted One village will see that many of their traditions involve bloodletting and a "Church of Hematology." For example, upon birth, a Clotted One's parents will begin slowly scraping at the newborn's skin with thorny branches and sandstone in a ritualistic ceremony. Although this appears cruel and sadistic, it is the fastest way to bestow the protective armoring to the child.

Friday, July 5, 2013

NOTE: Some words and terms in this post have been censored for those readers who are of a delicate nature and who are easily offended. (You buncha mealy-mouthed sissy-monkeys.)

I've been reading Jack Shear's series of blog posts over at Tales of the Grotesque and Dungeonesque on his new campaign setting called "Planet Motherf*cker." My jaw has been slack and a long line of drool has been dripping from my bottom lip as I read post after post of pure awesomeness. The setting is like...well..it reminds me of... Aw, Hell, I can't even do it justice, so I'll let him describe this wild post-apocalyptic setting:

Planet Motherf*cker is an alternate-reality Earth where the worst fears of the Cold War came to pass in 1965—the Year of the Thunderkiss. Some fat-fingered bureaucrat pressed the shiny red button and set off Armageddon. However, instead of resulting in a grim, gritty wasteland where humanity struggles to survive, the atomic fallout instead warped the fabric of reality itself. Planet Motherf*cker has been twisted into a psychoholic grindhouse world where giant ratmen drag race hot rods against murder-minded robots, where lunatic wolfmans square off against brickhouse Amazons, and where living dead girls, doom nuns, and Murican witches command the awesome powers of the bump-n-grind occult. Planet Motherf*cker is ultra-violent, maxi-trashy, supra-lowbrow, and uber-depraved. The characters are larger than life, garishly-hued in technicolor and greasepaint, and the only thing they value is getting lit in the company of a hot piece of ass. Grade Z horror movie monsters prowl the wastelands, and clown gangs rampage through the streets of what used to be called civilization. Fuel up your chainsaw, strap on a shooting iron, and rev your engine—it's gonna get messy out there.

I wanna play in that world BADLY. And I'll bet you do to. Well, now you can 'cause Jack compiled his notes and posts into a system-generic post-apocalyptic sourcebook called -- what else? -- Planet Motherf*cker. Book available at Lulu for $9.99. I have mine on order with plans on bringing some psychobilly rednecks, chainsaw paladins, and rat finks into a small section of my Mutant Future campaign that will be based on every 1960's grindhouse schlock-fest I can recall from my youth. And I plan to review this face-melting tome when it arrives. Stay tuned...

Samuel J. Taylor is the unofficially recognized President of the Rejoined States of Mairca. It is his vision and passion to bring the shattered city-states and individual baronies of the post-apocalyptic lands back together as one reunited nation. He is viewed as a king and ruler, although he protests that he is only acting as leader until democratically recognized elections can be implemented -- a process that many take several decades.

The Mega-Prez (as he's called) currently leads the citizens of "Washdeecee," which, under his rule, has become one of the few growing and thriving cities of the Mutant Future. (Population is nearing 6,000 citizens.) The marble ruins of D.C. has been reassembled into a large city reminiscent of ancient Rome. Clean running water via aqueducts has been established (as well as a working sewer system); roads have been cleared and paved; and other improvements in the social infrastructure have been implemented. All citizens are provided with food, shelter, and safety, and because of this, the citizens of Washdeecee are fanatically loyal to The Mega-Prez.

The Mega-Prez resides in The Great Dome (the former Capitol), and he has formed a team of scholars, advisors, and intellectuals that he refers to "Congress." He has a large volunteer army at his disposal which numbers in the hundreds. Those who meet Taylor find themselves facing an imposing figure of a man. He stands nearly 7 feet tall, rippling with muscles, and decked out in gaudy red, white, and blue costuming. In combat, Taylor gets 2 attacks per round, and a +3 bonus to hit and to damage. He speaks in soft, glowing platitudes, such that he receives a -3 reaction adjustment from those meeting him for the first time, and his followers have a morale of 11. Taylor even has a trained Maircan Iggle that perches on his shoulder or nearby that will swoop in to attack if needed. Taylor is usually well-armed and is not afraid to go right to pointed threats if he, his citizens, or his vision for "Mairca" are threatened.

Although it may seem as if Taylor is running the newly forming nation with an iron fist, he actually is trying to reestablish the tenets and basic philosophy the nation was founded upon. He is a true scholar of the history of the Bygone Days before the Apocalygeddon, reading and researching all of the historical documents he can lay his hands upon. Unlike others who know of the past only through legends, lore, rumors, and tall tales, Taylor actually knows the true history of the U.S. and has made it his goal to return the country to that stage of glory.

The PCs may hear of the Washdeecee during their travels and may decide to see if the rumors are true. Several neighboring warlords and baronies despise the growing "nation" and have been waging war against its borders. Taylor may hire the PCs to do some spying for him. Whether the PCs trust Taylor or believe he some kind of "dictator-in-the-making" is left to the Mutant Lord.

Wednesday, July 3, 2013

Those mutated miscreants at Faster Monkey Games have brought us a new full-length Mutant Future adventure! Dare you and your wasteland wanderers venture into "The Gyre"?

You’ve survived in the wastelands your whole life. You reckon there’s not much this atomic-soaked world can throw at you that you can’t handle. Surviving is one thing, but getting ahead means more than just playing it safe. You’ve got to explore, take chances, and grab the opportunities that come your way. So when a landslide exposes some sort of ancient doorway, you know you need to hustle to explore it and get the loot before someone beats you to it. What could be more straightforward than that?

“The Gyre” pits 3-5 Mutant Future characters of any level against
ancient technological challenges, secret horrors, and a race against
time. The PDF is available at RPGNOW and a hard copy version is available at the Faster Monkey store!

The U.S. military is already using, or fast developing, a wide range of technologies meant to give troops what California Polytechnic State University researcher Patrick Lin calls “mutant powers.” Greater strength and endurance. Superior cognition. Better teamwork. Fearlessness. But the risk, ethics and policy issues arising out of these so-called “military human enhancements” — including drugs, special nutrition, electroshock, gene therapy and robotic implants and prostheses — are poorly understood, Lin and his colleagues Maxwell Mehlman and Keith Abney posit in a new report for The Greenwall Foundation, scheduled for wide release tomorrow. In other words, we better think long and hard before we unleash our army of super soldiers.

The Savage AfterWorld presents rules, adventures, supplements, and discussion for many RPGs, focusing on the Old School Renaissance, Goblinoid Games, and the classic Pacesetter system. (There may also be some boardgame-related material too!) If you wish to contact me, email gameagain at gmail dot com (Replace 'at' and 'dot' with correct symbols though...)

Need Editing Services for your RPG Project?

In an effort to help DIY OSR RPG writers and publishers produce a professional-looking product, I'm offering my 15+ years as a professional editor free for the asking. Need someone to edit or proofread your rulebook, supplement, or splatbook before it goes to press? Drop me a line.

Sketchbook of Grotesqueries for Cryptworld

Click the cover to download the free Cryptworld supplement!

Creepy Comic Conversion Issues 1 & 2 for Cryptworld

Available at Drive Through RPG and MagCloud! Click the cover for ordering information!

One Year In The Savage AfterWorld For Mutant Future

Available at Drive Through RPG and Lulu! Click the cover for ordering information!

Deviant Database 2.0 for Mutant Future

Available at Drive Through RPG and Lulu! Click the cover for ordering information!

Deviant Database For Mutant Future

Available at Drive Through RPG and Lulu! Click the cover for ordering information!

Chamber of CHILLS Award

The Order of the d30

Art Disclaimer

Some of the art used in this blog was glommed from random places on the Internet and is used without permission. No rights are implied or assumed. If you are the original owner and would like it removed, please drop me a line and I shall be happy to do so. Thank you.